Greek Olympic long jump champion Miltos Tentoglou secured his eighth national title on Sunday with a single valid leap of 8.12 meters at the Hellenic Athletics Championships held at the Panthessaliko Stadium in Volos.
The 26-year-old star, considered one of the most dominant figures in global long jump, opened his competition with a foul but followed it up with a solid 8.12-meter jump. That was all he needed—after skipping his third attempt, Tentoglou decided to withdraw from the competition, citing physical discomfort.
“I’m not in the best shape,” he later told reporters, adding that his legs haven’t felt “right” and revealing he’s battled four different injuries this season that have slowed his training and performance.
Focus Shifts to World Championship Defense
Tentoglou’s focus now shifts to defending his world title later this season in Tokyo, a priority for both the athlete and his longtime coach, Giorgos Pomaski.
Despite his early exit in Volos, the crowd gave the reigning Olympic and World Champion a warm round of applause for his brief appearance.
Podium Results
Joining Tentoglou on the podium were:
- Theodoros Skouros (Athinaikos Club) with 7.52m (0.9),
- Antonis Stylianidis (Alexander of Macedonia Club), who also jumped 7.52m (2.3), but lost silver on countback, finishing third.
Skouros clinched second place with a dramatic final jump of 7.33m (-0.9), narrowly edging Stylianidis.
Tentoglou’s commanding presence—even at less than full strength—reinforces his status as the man to beat on the international stage as he builds toward Tokyo.
